


After Life

by a_y_lin



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare, The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: (Tessa isn't physically present), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angels, Demons, Established Relationship, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Friendship/Love, Implied Polyamorous Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, Literally going to an alternate dimension, M/M, Multi, Non-Explicit, Parabatai Bond, Parabatai Feels, Rating: PG13, Sort Of, They're still shadowhunters, implied Herongraystairs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:27:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29311080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_y_lin/pseuds/a_y_lin
Summary: The first thing Jem noticed was that his parabatai rune was active again, an oddity not because his parabatai was dead, but because he was, too.He blinked a few times, doing his best to force his vision to focus on his surroundings. Then, his gaze settled on Will. Will, who looked just as he had when he was eighteen; Will, who was the most frustratingly loyal Shadowhunter he'd ever met; Will, who was smiling at him serenely, as if they'd just gotten back from patrol, covered in ichor and taking a moment to rest in each other's presence. His Will.He threw himself at Will, this boy who had once been his world made flesh, feeling his parabatai embrace him in return."We can't rest yet, Jem," Will murmured, trying and failing to pull away."Just let me have this first," Jem breathed, face buried in the nook of the other boy's neck. "I've missed you."He felt Will smile, his joy palpable through their bond. "I know; so have I."
Relationships: Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray, Jem Carstairs/Tessa Gray/Will Herondale, Jem Carstairs/Will Herondale, Tessa Gray/Will Herondale
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	1. Better Together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers for TMI, TDA, TID, and COG will be present throughout! Those are the TSC books I've read already, so it's a bit hard to filter out specific details of any one of them. That being said, it's been a while since I've finished them, so I apologize in advance if anything is inaccurate; those things will just become part of my AU.

The first thing Jem noticed was that his parabatai rune was active again, an oddity not because his parabatai was dead, but because he was, too.

He blinked a few times, doing his best to force his vision to focus on his surroundings. Then, his gaze settled on Will. Will, who looked just as he had when he was eighteen; Will, who was the most frustratingly loyal Shadowhunter he'd ever met; Will, who was smiling at him serenely, as if they'd just gotten back from patrol, covered in ichor and taking a moment to rest in each other's presence. His Will.

He threw himself at Will, this boy who had once been his world made flesh, feeling his parabatai embrace him in return.

"We can't rest yet, Jem," Will murmured, trying and failing to pull away.

"Just let me have this first," Jem breathed, face buried in the nook of the other boy's neck. "I've missed you."

He felt Will smile, his joy palpable through their bond. "I know; so have I."

 _James Carstairs._ A voice rang out in his head, something he'd come to associate with the Silent Brothers, but he knew this was different. He could sense it. _I am Ithuriel, and I have a task for you and your parabatai._

Jem stiffened, recognizing the name at once. This was the angel who had been housed in Tessa's necklace, who she had Changed into during the Clockwork War. "What do you want us to do?" he inquired.

 _You and Will, if you should accept, are to be brought to a world parallel to your own, where Jonathan Shadowhunter never found a warlock to summon Raziel. There is an order of Shadowhunters, but they are no Nephilim; no angel blood courses through their veins,_ the angel's voice informed him.

"How have they kept the demons at bay up until now?" Will asked, indicating Ithuriel had spoken to both of them simultaneously.

The angel seemed to smirk in Jem's mind, though he was nowhere in sight. _Demons can be destroyed through mundane means, though it does take considerably more effort. Nevertheless, I wish for these mundanes to ascend; you are to protect and prepare them until the time is right._

He tilted his head in understanding; Ithuriel couldn't strengthen the mundanes physically to ensure their survival of ascension, but he and Will could, to an extent. He looked to his parabatai, the Herondale boy's blue eyes flickering with anticipation. They exchanged glances, an agreement settling in their minds as naturally as breathing.

"We accept the request," Will declared on both of their behalves.

The angel said nothing further, though Jem couldn't help but wonder about the parabatai curse, which he knew Emma and Julian had suffered from. He had loved Will for as long as he could remember, but they had never turned into Nephilim, burning from within with divine fire.

 _That is clever of you to wonder, James Carstairs. Your thoughts are plain upon your features,_ Ithuriel intoned once again, and Will furrowed his brow in confusion; he had heard it as well. _When you were both alive and bonded, James's condition--the_ yin fen _poisoning his blood--prevented you from becoming true Nephilim, though your love for one another was true. Now that you are both well, the risk of the curse is present. However, when I inhabited the necklace worn by Tessa Gray, I marked the young Herondale with divine energy. Later, one of his descendants marked James with the heavenly fire also,_ he continued, addressing them both.

"You speak of Jace curing me from my illness?" Jem murmured, the angel's implication beginning to make sense.

 _Yes,_ Ithuriel confirmed, tone warm, as if he were pleased by the Carstairs boy's inquiry. _I have chosen the two of you because your bodies have been tempered by divine fire. Should the need arise for one or both of you to wield its power, it will not overtake you. Now, are you ready, young Shadowhunters?_

Jem nodded, still in Will's embrace, or perhaps his parabatai was in his. He took a final moment to enjoy their reunion, then he felt a warmth spreading from his chest, and slowly, the world faded away.

What felt like mere moments later, he sucked in a breath, eyes fluttering open as he bolted upright. Jem braced his hands against the ground, fingers curling into the sand. To his shock, when he looked down at his hand, the skin wasn't wrinkled and worn as he remembered, but smooth and youthful, the voyance rune bold against his pale skin. He glanced around him to find Will lying on the beach a few paces from him, and before he could move to awaken the other boy--for they both seemed about eighteen, as they had been before they were parted the first time and as they had appeared during their brief time in the afterlife--Will was gasping for air, blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight.

Will beamed at him as he rose to his feet, prompting Jem to do the same. "It will take some time before I'm accustomed to seeing your eyes and hair like that," he confessed. "It suits you, though, moreso than the silver ever did."

With a start, Jem realized his parabatai had never seen his healthy appearance in his youth. He touched his hair absently, brushing a bit of sand from the dark brown locks.

"Do you have any clue where we are?" he asked, doing his best to discern their location from their surroundings. "We ought to find new clothes for you as well."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing now?" the younger boy--though only by a month, he often proclaimed--protested, referring to his trousers and tailored shirt, which he had continued to wear long after the early twentieth century, Jem recalled with a smile. His companion had always insisted that tailored suits never went out of style, and if they didn't have to pass for ordinary teenagers, he would have agreed wholeheartedly.

"You stand out too much in those clothes; at least if you dress casually no one will pay us much extra attention," Jem pointed out, causing his parabatai to smirk at him.

"You mean I'm too attractive not to draw attention," Will corrected.

The older boy hummed in affirmation. "You're beautiful; nothing will change that, but dressing like you're still living in the nineteenth century certainly doesn't help us keep a low profile."

His parabatai rolled his eyes at that, but Jem could feel warmth and affection from him despite the outward show of annoyance. He smiled, instinctually reaching for his stele, and to his surprise, he found it in the inner pocket of his jacket.

"Will, do you have your stele?" he asked, eyes darting across the beach, hoping for a glimpse of an unnamed seraph blade or a weapon of some sort, to no avail.

His parabatai produced his stele from his pocket. "At least Ithuriel left us with something," he mumbled, obviously disappointed they didn't have more to work with.

"Stop complaining and draw Marks for me," Jem said, pulling up the hem of his shirt slightly. "Ithuriel sent us here for a reason, but the first thing we should focus on is blending in." Will drew a glamour rune carefully near the bottom of the older boy's ribcage.

Once he was finished, the former Silent Brother did the same for his companion, working in comfortable silence. How many times had they drawn runes for one another before? Jem knew it had been far too often to count, and the familiarity calmed him.

"Now, let's go clothes shopping! Though, I suppose it hardly counts if we're not paying for anything," the Herondale boy chirped, drawing a laugh from the young Carstairs as they departed from the beach.

They made their way onto the street, Will gaping at the plethora of hotels in the distance. They had to have been in America, for there was nothing quite like this in London, and the Herondale was taking in the scenery in awe, obviously unused to the almost tropical weather. From what the older boy could see, they were in a town by the name of Clearwater Beach, as numerous signs and tourist paraphernalia proclaimed. He held out an arm to keep his parabatai from walking into a passerby in his distraction, taking the opportunity to locate a clothing store.

"This looks promising," he suggested, tugging at Will's sleeve to draw his attention.

A small shop was crammed between two restaurants, and it seemed to be good enough for Will, because with only a nod of assent from his parabatai, Jem found himself being dragged across the street and across the threshold, the sound of the door opening and closing thankfully drowned out by tourists milling about outside. The shopkeeper was nowhere to be found, so he didn't feel too guilty as the picked new clothes. Jem had been wearing a wool coat when they arrived, and the warm, humid atmosphere was starting to take its toll, despite the sun already beginning to dip below the horizon; something lighter was in order.

"Would it be entirely untoward to change here?" the Herondale mused from behind him. "It's not like anyone can see us."

"Unless a Downworlder walks in," Jem corrected. "Or a Sighted mundane, who we're supposed to be allying with. I don't fancy having to explain why you're half-naked in a store to potential Shadowhunters." He felt a twinge of guilt through their bond and sighed. "You've ignored all that I've said, haven't you?" he inquired, turning around to find that Will had replaced his trousers with jeans, the formal shirt gone in favor of a plain t-shirt, though he wore a navy blazer, as if in rebellion against the request to dress casually.

"In my defense, you should've protested sooner," the younger Shadowhunter replied. "I did look for a dressing room, but there isn't one, so it looks like you're going to have to follow my initiative."

"You're insufferable," the Carstairs chuckled, no heat behind his words as he shed his coat and the rest of his clothes.

He didn't bother telling Will to turn around, knowing full well there was nothing they hadn't seen of each other, and he made quick work of getting dressed in dark tailored jeans and a pastel shirt, leaving the few buttons at the top undone as he shoved on a pair of slip-on shoes. He could feel Will staring at the jade necklace he still wore, the one his parabatai had gifted him, and he smiled, glad to have a reminder of his life before.

For a world without Nephilim, everything seemed normal in their new reality, but he knew that could change once night fell, and the sun was nearly absent from the sky. Jem exchanged a worried glance with his parabatai; ordinarily, the former Silent Brother would suggest finding a place to rest for the night, but they couldn't leave the mundanes to protect themselves from any demons that emerged in the darkness. Of course, that meant they also needed weapons, and without an Institute in sight, they would have to settle for mundane ones.

He was distracted by the gnawing of hunger, and he blushed as Will's expression morphed into one of concern, having felt it too. "Jem, you're horribly thin. Is it a lingering effect of the _yin fen_? Why didn't you say anything sooner? I could have found you something to eat; by the Angel, I'm a dreadful friend," his parabatai insisted in a rush.

"Will, I am fine, truly. I've had trouble putting on any weight since I was eleven, and it persisted after I was cured of the _yin fen_ in my first life. As for why I didn't say anything, I didn't think of it before," Jem tried to soothe his companion. "You could not have noticed before I did."

"I suppose you are right," the Herondale muttered. "Thank you for keeping me grounded, as always."

Jem smiled softly in lieu of a proper reply. "Come along then; we should get dinner," he suggested instead, lifting the hem of his shirt to deactivate the glamour rune. "It would be horribly suspicious if we are invisible while our food is not," he explained with a chuckle, prompting the Herondale to do the same. Once they were finished, he took Will's hand and gently led him from the store.

Reemerging onto the street, he felt his parabatai start to pull away, and he gripped the younger boy's hand more firmly in turn, drawing a surprised glance from him.

"We are in public," Will protested, looking around them frantically. "We aren't glamoured anymore either; people will see."

With a pang of sadness, Jem recalled that his parabatai was accustomed to the society of the twentieth century. "They will not mind, my Will," he reassured his companion. "Much has changed in the past few decades."

The blue-eyed boy looked at him in shock. "You mean to say I could kiss you on the street right now? None of them will care?" he asked, voice tinged with awe.

The Carstairs nodded. "Some of them might, but they can't do much about it," he elaborated. "Want to see?"

Not needing any more prompting, Will--with only one more cursory glance at the people passing by them--placed one hand on his parabatai's waist, the other resting on his cheek, and kissed him. Jem let himself be pulled flush against the boy he loved, savoring the sensation of having Will pressed against him as he wrapped his arms around his parabatai's neck. The former Silent Brother could feel a mix of emotions through their bond--joy, relief, security--but the strongest was love; when they finally parted, Jem wondered why books always portrayed the end of a kiss as a great sadness. He felt no further from Will than when he was still in his companion's embrace, a phenomenon he also associated with Tessa. No physical distance could separate them, nor were his feelings for either of them based in physicality. From the content smile gracing Will's lips, the Herondale felt the same.

"I love you, my Will," Jem murmured, pressing a light kiss to the younger boy's cheek. Those were words he had never dared to breathe aloud in their first life, too afraid of what others would think, but here, there was no one to force them apart or tell them their relationship was forbidden. If he spoke to anyone else, he would fear rejection, unsure if his feelings were reciprocated until they either accepted or dismissed him, but this was Will.

"My Jem, I have always loved you," his parabatai replied with a smile, brushing calloused fingertips over his cheekbones, which were curiously free of the scars left by the runes of Silent Brotherhood. "However, I must also admit that I long for Tessa," he added, averting his gaze.

The Carstairs boy tilted his companion's chin back up, guiding the Herondale’s eyes to meet his own. "As do I. I have loved only two people, you and our Tessa, and I would never ask you to hide your love for her, as I have loved you both since the day she entered our lives," he professed, watching Will's eyes brighten with happiness. "I still have hope that Tessa will join us in the afterlife one day, after she has lived a long and beautiful life, one of fulfillment and love. We have both lived a life with our Tessa, and now, I hope we can live a life with one another until we can all be reunited once more."

"I would love that," Will replied. "I have always thought that life is built upon timing. Our time with Tessa has passed, though I have faith it will come again when we are no longer of this world, and now, I believe it is our time." They hugged once more, relishing in each other's warmth only briefly before pulling apart. "At the moment however, I believe it is time for dinner. You aren't allowed to distract me until you've had a proper meal," the Herondale chuckled, dragging his companion away to find a place to eat.

They found themselves at a food truck near the water a few minutes later, and to Jem's surprise, Will had pickpocketed a few tourists without him noticing, holding up a handful of folded bills sheepishly.

"You're lucky I'm famished, otherwise I'd tell you not to spend that," the former Silent Brother sighed, resigned to the fact that his parabatai wouldn't be repaying any of the people he robbed.

"We came here to protect the mundanes from demons, so I think it's only fair we get something to eat," his companion reasoned with a smile, pulling Jem forward as they reached the front of the queue. "We'll take two of whatever your most popular item is and two waters," he said, addressing the girl who was poised to take their order. "And would you mind telling me where we are, exactly?"

She gave him a strange look, muttering something about 'confused tourists' before answering, "We're in Clearwater Beach, Florida. It's on the other side of the pond, if you were wondering."

"Thank you," Will replied, handing her the entire handful of cash, which she accepted hesitantly.

"He doesn't know how to divide American money," Jem explained, seeing her confusion, to which the girl let out a chuckle and subtracted the correct amount before returning the rest. It was technically true, though he omitted the fact that his parabatai would likely be confused about any form of modern currency, regardless of which country supplied it.

She shuffled away, disappearing from sight for a few minutes before returning with two panini sandwiches and bottles of water. Jem gave her a nod of thanks before handing Will a sandwich and pulling him along the pier. He set the water on the wooden railing, taking a bite of his sandwich.

"Much better than the time you ordered chicken feet by mistake," he quipped, smiling.

His parabatai blushed. "It was one time, a literal lifetime ago!"

The Carstairs took another bite of his sandwich as Will did the same. "I recall you saying something about wanting to fend for yourself, even though you don't speak Mandarin," Jem teased him lightly, grinning. "I thought it was adorable."

"Of course you did; we've already established I'm dashing," the Herondale declared.

A piercing shriek tore through the air, interrupting them, and Jem's attention was drawn at once to the beach, where he spotted a figure standing mere feet from a demon. He reached for his stele, drawing strength and agility runes on his right forearm.

"I suppose I should have guessed we wouldn't have a peaceful first night here," he heard Will grumble.

"I'll deal with the demon; you keep the mundane out of harm's way," Jem suggested.

His parabatai nodded, and they both sprinted across the pier. The Carstairs vaulted over the railing to land gracefully on the beach below them, and he grabbed a fallen branch that had been blown onto the sand, hearing his partner land behind him. It was no proper weapon, but it would do. Upon closer inspection, the mundane was facing a kappa demon--an aquatic creature roughly the size of a child with a sturdy carapace as its armor--and the stranger was baring a small knife at it.

Jem broke the stick--since the branch was truly quite thin--in half, hurling one half at the demon. It pierced the junction of where its carapace met its neck, and the creature let out another screech.

"Go fetch the mundane," he said, trusting Will to take care of it while he faced the kappa demon.

It turned its head to him, bracing itself in the sand before hurling itself at the former Silent Brother. He took a breath, bracing himself in anticipation; the demon leapt at him, webbed appendages outstretched to pierce his torso, and he slid underneath it, thrusting the stick into its chest. Its claw tore into his left arm, but he held firm, pressing the makeshift weapon deeper until he was certain it pierced the heart. Quickly, he crawled out from beneath it, grateful the carapace and angle of the wound kept any ichor from bleeding onto him. Rising to his feet, he watched the remnants of the demon crumble to dust; thankfully, it was dead.

Will and the mundane were crossing the sand, the unknown boy wearing a look of shock. Before Jem could ask what the stranger thought he had seen, the boy snapped, "What the hell were you two doing? That demon could have killed you." The stranger glared at them, and instinctively, the older Shadowhunter searched the boy's brown skin for runes before remembering he was a mundane. He had seen the demon, so he must have the sight, the former Silent Brother concluded.

"Kappa demons are lesser demons; it was you we worried about," Jem replied, referring to the human. "What's your name?"

"I'm Levi. Levi Harris," the stranger--Levi--answered brusquely. "That thing is called a kappa demon?" The Nephilim both nodded.

"I'm Jem Carstairs," Jem introduced himself, holding out his left hand for Levi to shake before remembering that he was bleeding.

"By the Angel, come here, Jem. That gash looks bad," Will insisted, starting to fuss over the wound while the sighted mundane was momentarily relegated to an observer. Searching for a clear patch of skin, his parabatai took hold of his right arm--blood having dripped down along his left--and drew a careful iratze, watching in relief as his wound started to heal. "You should be more careful," he cautioned.

"You say that as if you're always cautious," the Carstairs quipped, smiling slightly. "I will be next time, preferably when I have better weapons than a short stick. Now, are you going to introduce yourself to Levi or shall I?"

"Will Herondale, at your service," the Herondale declared, whirling around to face their newest acquaintance and shake the mundane's hand firmly.

"What are you two? You look human, but his arm healed like no magic I've seen before," Levi inquired, pointing at Jem. "Are you warlocks?"

"We're Shadowhunters, though where we come from, we're also called Nephilim. Will drew a rune to heal me, but it isn't magic; it's angelic power," Jem explained, doing his best to keep his tone calm and expression open; the last thing they needed was to scare the other boy away. "It's quite a long story, but to be brief, Will and I are from a parallel dimension where Jonathan Shadowhunter contacted the angel Raziel and requested angelic blood to enable him to fight demons; he was the first of a race of warriors called Shadowhunters. Does that sound familiar?"

The dark-skinned boy nodded, eyes wide. "If I hadn't just watched you slay a reptile demon and heal a wound with a piece of adamas on a stick, I would think you're insane. Luckily, I fight demons, so not many things seem crazy to me anymore," he admitted, sighing. "I know the story of Jonathan Shadowhunter, but Sister Julia never mentioned anything about angels in a literal sense. I'm guessing that's different where you two come from?"

"We have had our fair share of dealings with angels," Will answered honestly, earning a look of surprise that was quickly wiped away.

"If you guys don't mind, I'd like to hear the full story, and I'm guessing Ella will too, once she hears about this. Herondale, you and your boyfriend can follow me; she's still at work, but she'll be done soon," Levi offered, leading them back to the pier.

"If you have the time to spare, I have no qualms telling our story," the younger Shadowhunter conceded. "Jem is not my boyfriend, however. We're parabatai."

"Para-what?" the mundane asked, turning back to give them a bewildered look.

"Parabatai are two warriors who are bonded to one another by oath. We’re lifelong partners," Will elaborated, a fond expression gracing his features. "The ceremony that binds us links us both in body and soul; we can feel each other's joy, pain, and everything in between. 'Boyfriend' is nowhere near adequate to describe our relationship."

Jem smiled at that, warmed by the knowledge his parabatai could speak of their love for one another openly. It was true that Will was his world, but Tessa had been their sun, the light around whom they both orbited. While he and Will complemented each other perfectly, Tessa had brought out the best in them both. It was thanks to her that he knew they would survive this new journey together, and he bowed his head briefly in thanks.

“We will make you proud, Tessa,” he breathed, and Will nodded in agreement, interlacing their fingers once more. They always had been better together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! This is my first foray into the TID fandom, though I've been a fan of TSC for ages now. I love Will and Jem's dynamic, so I decided to write a fanfic for them, and here we are. Though I do ship them more, I also love Tessa, so she will get mentions throughout this fic, but it's centered around Will and Jem.
> 
> The loophole in the parabatai curse was one I had fun with, so I hope it isn't too much of a stretch, but I honestly just wanted to give two of my favorite a second chance. I love reading comments, so please leave any feedback you have below! I've already got the next chapter and a bit beyond that written, but I usually take feedback into account when I write, since most of the chapters will be uploaded right as I write them. I haven't found many multi-chapter fics for Will and Jem where they're still Shadowhunters, so if you're like me, rest assured this will be a multi-chapter story, and I plan on writing decently long chapters.
> 
> Your author,  
> ~Aylin


	2. Long Stories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! I'm meant to be doing homework, but I had this written already, and I couldn't resist updating a little earlier than I originally planned today. This chapter has it all--demons, romance, and fluff. I hope you all enjoy it, since it was a fun one to write.
> 
> On another note, is anyone else hyped for Chain of Iron on March 2nd? I definitely am, and I'll be binge-reading it as soon as I get my hands on a copy!
> 
> Comments and feedback are always appreciated, as are you all, my lovely readers.

Jem shouldn’t have been surprised when the girl from the food truck turned out to be Levi’s friend Ella. Like Levi, her olive skin was free of runes, and she gaped at them for a few moments, probably due to the blood coating the former Silent Brother’s arm.

“Ella! You won’t believe the story these two have to tell us!” Levi called, giddy with excitement.

“Please tell me that’s ketchup on the Asian one’s arm,” she snapped, narrowing her eyes and clambering out of the foodtruck to join them. “Levi, I told you to be careful, not gallivant off to fight a demon on the beach!” she scolded, swatting his shoulder, which the former Silent Brother found comical because she was taller than the other mundane by a few inches, though she was slightly shorter than Will. She huffed in annoyance, replacing her exasperation with a friendly smile as she took in Will and Jem. “I’m Gabriella Garcia, though most people call me Ella. In fact, please never call me Gabby,” she chirped, shaking their hands in turn, and the Carstairs had the decency to offer her his right hand instead of his left.

To his surprise, she had grabbed a wet towel from the food truck, and she offered it to Jem when she shook his hand. He shot her a small smile in thanks.

“I’m Will Herondale, and this is Jem Carstairs, my parabatai,” the Herondale greeted her warmly, introducing them both. “We helped your friend Levi fight that kappa demon on the beach.”

Ella wrinkled her nose. “The reptile thing?”

“It’s a lesser demon,” Jem confirmed, nodding as he cleaned the blood from his arm.

“Then you’re Shadowhunters too,” she mused aloud, eyeing them both appraisingly as she twirled one of her dark curls around her finger. “Are you from Idris? Did the Clave send you?”

“El, I think it’ll be easier if they start from the beginning,” Levi cut in, leading them all to a picnic table on the docks.

“To start, can you tell us the story of Jonathan Shadowhunter?” Jem prompted.

“Sister Julia has drilled it into our brains,” Ella answered with a smirk. “Long ago, when demons were ravaging this realm from the Void, Jonathan Shadowhunter, a crusader, began training an order of warriors consisting of people with the sight to protect the rest of humanity. This order became known as the Clave, and its warriors are called Shadowhunters, named for Jonathan himself.”

“Your capital is Idris?” Will pressed. “The city of Alicante, it still stands?”

“Yep,” the mundane girl confirmed. “Levi and I have never been, but Sister Julia--the nun who taught us about the Clave’s history--describes the city as a city of glass. She says the walls around Alicante are plated with slabs of adamas taken from the deposits below Idris.”

Will hummed in affirmation. “Now, imagine a reality where Jonathan Shadowhunter found a warlock to summon the angel Raziel, and the order of Shadowhunters consisted of individuals who ascended to a race of angel-blooded warriors called Nephilim, tasked with defending humanity from demons,” he declared, smiling widely as he rattled off the details in one breath. “That’s the world that Jem and I come from.”

Jem gave a groan of annoyance and let his head fall against the table. “You were supposed to explain it with tact,” he complained, righting himself after a few moments. “You’re lucky we’re already parabatai.”

“You said something about angelic power earlier. That’s because you have angel blood?” Levi asked, and how he managed to follow Will’s awful explanation was beyond the former Silent Brother.

The Carstairs nodded. “These marks on our bodies are called runes; when the angel Raziel allowed Jonathan and his comrades to drink angel blood, he also gave them angelic runes to aid them in their fight against demons,” he explained, gesturing to the fading strength and agility runes from earlier that night. “Unfortunately, only Nephilim--those of us with angel blood--can bear them, so we won’t be able to put them on either you or Ella.”

“If Levi believes you, so do I, but how exactly did you get here if you’re from a different reality?” Ella inquired, raising an immaculate brow and reminding Jem of Jessamine.

“We were born in the latter half of the nineteenth century, and we’re both dead in our world,” the Herondale divulged. “After we died, an angel named Ithuriel asked us to come here and protect the humans of this realm from demons. Obviously, we accepted.”

“That isn’t all. Ithuriel asked us to watch over you and any other mundanes with the sight until you’re ready; he wants to create a true order of Shadowhunters here,” the older Shadowhunter added. “Ithuriel sent us here to prepare you, and any others like you, to ascend.”

“An angel wants to give us divine powers? Sign me up!” Levi exclaimed, an easy smile gracing his features. “You’re with me, right El?”

“It’s not that simple,” Jem cut in, frowning. “The two of you are candidates because you have the sight, but that isn’t a guarantee you’ll be able to ascend.”

“Well then, oh wise one, how do we know if we can become Nephilim?” Ella asked, her tone light and teasing.

Will glanced at his parabatai before answering, the Carstairs nodding to his partner gratefully for taking on this part of the explanation. “You train and you become as strong as you can. Then, you drink from an object called the Mortal Cup, which Ithuriel will provide and fill with his blood when the time is right. If you survive, you will be reborn as Nephilim,” the Herondale intoned, expression grave.

“You mean, if we don’t become Nephilim--” Ella began, trailing off with a shaky sigh.

“If you don’t ascend successfully, you die. There’s no way to know for sure if you’ll make it until you drink,” Jem finished for her. “I’m sorry to have to tell you all of this at once, but you need to know the risks before you continue with this path.”

“I’ll do it,” Levi answered, surprising both Nephilim with the urgency in his tone. “My older brother was killed by a demon, and it tore my mom apart. I’m not letting that happen to another family.”

They all looked to the olive-skinned girl, who was drumming her polished nails against the table in anticipation.

“I’m in, too,” Ella added, green eyes hardened with an intensity Jem knew all too well. “No one in my family has died to a demon, and they sure as hell never will if I can do anything to stop it.”

“In that case, we can start now with patrols of the area,” Will suggested. “Neither of you have much experience, so either Jem or myself will be with you at all times, while the other two will remain at your base of operations.”

Jem raised a brow at that; it was uncommon for parabatai to fight separately, but his companion merely shrugged. Their entire situation was uncommon, and protecting potential Nephilim was one of their highest priorities.

“Before we do anything, do you have any decent weapons?” Jem asked, turning to the mundanes. “Back home, we have seraph blades made of adamas, but I doubt those have been forged here, so anything sturdy will work.”

Ella grinned, placing her hands on her hips. “We have a stockpile of weapons at the Institute. I’ve been gathering them since I started learning to fight demons a little over a year ago,” she declared proudly, already starting to walk away. “What are you three waiting for?” she called over her shoulder playfully. “Demons aren’t going to hunt themselves.”

“She’s eerily excited about killing things,” Will muttered, moving to follow her.

The former Silent Brother laughed, “She reminds me of you.”

To their amazement, the trip through town was quiet, and before long, they came upon a dilapidated church, which Jem assumed was the Institute.

“Home sweet home!” Levi chuckled, shoving open the doors, and the Carstairs pinpointed the moment Will remembered these people were mundanes, and that the Institute had no glamour around it. Candles lit the dark space, though most areas were still dark.

“What you see is what you get in this reality,” the younger Nephilim mumbled, carefully stepping over a fallen lectern. “Where are the weapons?”

“I thought I told you two not to bring home any boys!” a voice called, filling the empty church. “They better have the sight, otherwise I’ll have to contact Cassandra Bright to erase their memories of this place.”

“They’re Shadowhunters, Sister Julia,” Levi answered. “Will, Jem, meet Sister Julia; she’s been teaching Ella and I how to fight.”

A woman who couldn’t be older than forty stepped into the light, a few stray locks of blonde hair peeking out from underneath her white habit. She was barely taller than Levi, but she carried herself with confidence, and her brown eyes were kind, reminding the Carstairs of Charlotte. 

“It’s lovely to meet you,” she said, and something about her demeanor sent the boys back to the nineteenth century.

Jem bowed, taking her hand and placing a kiss on the back of it. “James Carstairs, at your service, though most call me Jem,” he introduced himself.

Will did the same. “William Herondale, at your service. It’s a pleasure, and you can call me Will,” he said, manners slipping back into place with ease. Sister Julia began blushing, obviously unused to the gestures. “Forgive us for reverting back to old habits,” he said, stepping back sheepishly. “You merely remind us of the woman who raised us, and I know I speak for us both when I say we were taken back to our youth.”

“There is much to tell, but I fear that story may be better suited to daylight. Levi and Ella brought us here to gather weapons; we were hoping to patrol the city,” the former Silent Brother added, seeing her confusion.

“Of course! We keep the weapons under the altar,” Sister Julia informed them, leading them to the back of the church, seemingly content with his answer. Before either of the boys could offer to help, she was shoving the wooden altar aside and hauling a wooden trapdoor open. “Feel free to take anything you’d like,” she assured them, using the fabric of her habit to brush the dust off of her hands.

Will set upon the weapons like a child given sweets, picking a sword for each of them, a few daggers, and a metal staff for Jem. “Is this electrum?” he asked, referring to the latter.

“It is; you have a good eye,” the nun said, smiling.

Wordlessly, Jem took the longer of the two swords as well as the staff, which he was pleased to find folded into a more portable variation. As Will armed himself, he took out his stele, marking the flat of the blade with runes; he could feel the mundanes watching in fascination, though they thankfully made no comment as he repeated the same for the staff.

“I haven’t been an active Shadowhunter in a while, so I was hoping to get some practice tonight,” Jem said, turning to Will. “You can stay here and rest, and we’ll switch tomorrow night.”

“Very well, but be careful. If I feel you are in true danger, I will come, regardless of what you say,” the Herondale insisted. “At the very least, let me Mark you; they’ll be stronger that way.”

“I want to go, too,” Ella interjected. “Levi already got to fight a demon tonight, so it’s only fair.”

“Alright then; it looks like we’re a team,” Jem said, smiling at her. “I will be fine, Will, and of course you can Mark me. I wouldn’t let you get out of it if you tried,” he quipped, unbuttoning his shirt.

Pressing the stele firmly against Jem’s skin, his parabatai drew a glamour rune below his sternum, soon joined by a stamina rune and a night vision rune. An agility rune went on his hip, and one for balance was added alongside it; generally, he would take off his trousers so Will could draw them both on his leg for the best results, but they had an audience. Finally, another strength rune was drawn on his arm next to the one from before, which had been lightly drawn and was now completely faded.

“Should I take off my shirt so you can copy the rest of the Gray Book onto my back?” Jem asked, rolling his eyes as he buttoned his shirt again. “It’s only a patrol, and I won’t be alone.”

“I would take you up on that offer if I thought it would help,” Will fired back, reaching out to trace the shape of a parabatai rune where he knew it was inked on the former Silent Brother’s shoulder, hidden by his clothes at the moment. “Be careful, my Jem.”

“Anything for you, my dearest Will,” the Carstairs promised, smiling back. “Now, let’s begin your training, Ella.”

The mundane brightened, a sword strapped to her back. She had tied her brown curls into a bun to keep the strands away from her face, and despite her lack of experience, she looked fierce.

For the first time he could recall, Jem left the Institute without Will at his side. It was jarring to glance to his side, expecting his blue-eyed partner, then find the curvy girl instead, but he was certain he would grow used to it in time.

“How long have you been a Shadowhunter?” Ella asked, head tilted in curiosity as they walked.

“After the first Nephilim were created, the Angel’s gifts were passed to their children, and generations later, they were passed to me. I was born a Shadowhunter, though I wasn’t an active one for the later decades of my life,” Jem replied, the memory of having to adjust to a world without his parabatai still fresh.

The mundane girl’s eyes widened in surprise at his expression, and detecting his pain, she didn’t press him further. “I’ve been training for a little over a year, as I mentioned earlier. I saw a demon at school, and Levi fought it off; he’s the one who brought me to the Institute, and Sister Julia told me about the Shadow world,” she volunteered instead.

The Carstairs fingered the jade necklace he wore. “It’s incredibly brave of you to join the fight against demons,” he praised her honestly. “Too many people where I’m from forget the courage of mundanes who ascend, but one of the bravest Shadowhunters I know used to be a mundane. Her name was Sophie Lightwood, and she used to be a servant at the London Institute, where Will and I grew up.”

“You had servants?” she asked, gaping at him. “The London Institute sounds like the opposite of the one here,” she huffed, picking at one of her manicured nails.

“The London Institute is beautiful; it used to be a Christian church, and the entry hall itself took my breath away nearly every time I saw it, with towering stained glass windows and a crystal chandelier,” he breathed, eyes bright with passion as he described it. “When I first arrived, I never thought I could call such a place home, but I grew to love it as well as the people who lived there.”

“Is that how you met Will?” she asked, voice uncharacteristically soft.

The Carstairs nodded eagerly. “We met when we were eleven, and at first, he wanted nothing to do with me, but I wouldn’t accept any of his dismissals, so eventually he gave in and allowed me to train with him,” he answered, chuckling at the memory. “At thirteen, we agreed to become parabatai, and we went through with the ceremony at fourteen. Among Nephilim, it’s the most sacred bond, moreso than marriage, according to some.”

Ella nodded, squaring her shoulders. “Will isn’t your boyfriend, then?” she asked, looking up at him.

Jem shook his head, sighing as he tried to formulate an adequate reply. “He isn’t; he’s my parabatai. I’m afraid mundanes have nothing like it, but if you’re asking whether or not I love him romantically, then the answer is yes,” he said, finally settling on an explanation. “Generally, parabatai bonds are anything but romantic, but it seems Will and I are an exception; in truth, I barely remember a time when I didn’t love him, in every sense of the word.”

A red hue colored her olive skin, and the former Silent Brother realized rather belatedly that she was interested in him. Before he could apologize for his lack of tact, movement caught his eye, and he drew his sword, posture shifting from open and relaxed to poised for combat within moments. Rounding a corner, he found a group of kappa demons tearing apart what was left of a mundane. Detecting the Shadowhunters’ approach, the creatures turned to him, inching forward.

“These demons have a strong carapace. You’ll have to pierce their hearts from their underbellies or cut off their heads to defeat them,” he advised, seeing her shock.

One lunged at him, and he stepped aside, parrying a swipe of its webbed appendages with his sword. Despite its aquatic characteristics, its claws were sharp like daggers. Two more charged, one leaping up to him; mimicking the strategy he used on the one at the beach, he ducked underneath its blow then vaulted over the one in front of him, taking advantage of its confusion to bring the blade down on its neck from behind. The two he faced now seemed to learn from their companions, coming at him from either side. He drew his staff, letting it extend to its full length. Using the longer weapon to hold one of the kappa demons back, he parried a slash of the other’s claws with the flat of his blade.

“Ella! Take off its head while its distracted,” he called, but the mundane girl was barely deflecting blows from the two demons she faced.

Grunting in exertion from holding one of them at bay, he brought his sword down on a kappa demon’s neck, severing its head from its body. As it crumbled, he jumped back, letting the one at his other side advance. When it leapt at him, he dropped, angling his sword and letting its momentum move the blade through its underbelly. Rising, he spotted the brunette slowly being pushed back; she would be against a wall soon.

He sheathed his sword, separating the staff he held into two halves. Bracing his feet against the pavement, he hurled one at a demon, grinning when it went through the creature’s neck, killing it; much better than the stick from the beach. The remaining reptilian beast turned on him then, determining him the most prominent threat. As he drew his blade once more, it darted across the ground between them, and when it lunged for his feet--having learned the lesson of the ones he slew before it--Jem faced it head on, slashing at the its neck and stunning the creature, which had apparently expected him to dodge as he had before. Without hesitation, he thrust the half of the electrum staff he held into its neck. It let out a cry, writhing against his hold, but he was stronger than he’d been before, when he had been poisoned by _yin fen_ , and he pressed the staff in deeper as he pulled back his blade briefly before beheading the demon.

Panting, he sheathed his sword, and retrieved the other part of his staff before rejoining the halves and collapsing it. Jem eyed Ella, sighing in relief when he determined she was unharmed, if not a tad shaken by the encounter.

“That was more demons than I’ve ever seen at once,” she exclaimed, jogging over to him. “We’ve been taught that they never work in packs.”

The Carstairs nodded, still breathing heavily; he truly was out of practice. “The only reason they’d be working together in such a fashion is if they’re being controlled, likely by a warlock or human magi--” he was cut off by a searing pain in his back, and he was on the ground before he could fully process what had happened, twisting around to meet his attacker.

He thrust out an arm instinctually, keeping the demon at bay, and glancing around the street, he saw only four piles of ash. This kappa demon’s underbelly was sliced, and ichor dripped from its wound, burning his skin where the substance made contact; it was the one he ducked under, having foolishly assumed its injury was severe enough to kill it. He reached for his sword, only to be interrupted by a blade piercing through the creature’s neck; the wound dripped more ichor onto his chest when the sword was removed, but he only shoved its corpse onto the ground as it began to vanish, too relieved to pay the stinging pain much mind.

“I like honesty in a guy,” Ella joked, winking down at him and offering him a hand, the other one grasping an ichor-coated sword.

He took it gratefully, hauling himself to his feet. “You make a good partner,” he shot back, eyes bright with mirth. “Don’t tell Will that, though. He’ll be awfully jealous, and I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” she chuckled, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “Sorry about the ichor; I know firsthand how much those burns suck.”

“Don’t worry about it. You fought well,” he assured her, poised to ask her to draw him an iratze when he recalled she was human. He undid the remaining buttons on his shirt instead, drawing one on his chest himself and sighing in relief when it started to heal the minor burns left behind by the demon’s blood. The rune was at a strange angle and location, but he supposed it didn’t matter much considering it would be nothing more than a miniscule scar soon.

“That’s amazing,” Ella breathed, staring at his quickly fading burns. “If Levi and I ascend, we’ll be able to use those runes too?”

Jem nodded. “We should head back to the Institute; Will would have felt my surprise, so he’ll be worried, and we’ve done enough patrolling for the night. I’d like to ask Sister Julia about the known warlocks in town,” he said, earning a nod from his partner for the evening.

“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable earlier,” she piped up from beside him, shooting him an apologetic glance as they walked.

“I’m the one who should be apologizing,” he murmured softly, to which she stared at him in surprise. “I was oblivious to your intentions, and I was insensitive as a result.”

“For the record, I’m not that kind of girl--the one who crushes on every attractive guy she sees,” she added, chewing her lip. “It’s just hard trying to keep a relationship alive when guys don’t know that I hunt demons in my spare time, and you’re really sweet. It’s stupid, but I thought if we dated, then I’d finally have a boyfriend I don’t have to lie to.”

“You just liked the idea of me,” Jem supplied with a knowing smile. Ella returned it, nodding in relief. “It’s not stupid at all. When I was eleven, my parents were killed, and I was tortured with a drug called _yin fen_. My body became dependent on it, and I had to take it consistently to stay alive, though it was slowly killing me,” he said, unsure of why exactly he was telling her this but certain it was the right thing to do. “I’m cured of it now, and I know it’s not the same, but I do know what it’s like to have a burden that’s entirely your own. Even Will doesn’t know precisely what it was like, but having him with me for all these years has been the greatest treasure.”

“Thanks, Jem. I wish I had someone like that,” Ella said.

“It’s probably not my place, but Levi seems like he cares for you a great deal,” the former Silent Brother pointed out. “You’re both Shadowhunters; perhaps you could share your troubles with him.”

She pursed her lips. “I’ve never wanted to bother him with all of this. He lost his older brother; my loneliness seems trivial in comparison,” she confessed.

He shrugged, smirking slightly. “You could always let him be the judge of that.”

The mundane nodded, lost in thought as they came up on the doors of the Institute. Entering the church, Jem was immediately pulled into a hug by his parabatai.

“I felt your panic and shock; are you alright, Jem?” Will demanded, searching him for injuries and landing on the ichor stains on his shirt. “How many were there?”

“There were five kappa demons, all in a pack,” the Carstairs replied. “I’m fine, thanks to the runes you gave me.”

“They usually don’t hunt in groups,” Sister Julia cut in, furrowing her brow in concern.

“I think they’re being controlled by someone, most likely a warlock or human magician,” the older Nephilim theorized. “Are there any warlocks in town who would be capable of that?”

The nun shook her head. “There’s only one warlock in town, Cassandra Bright. She doesn’t dabble in anything demonic, though; she has an apothecary by the beach, and she sells herbal remedies to locals and tourists,” she replied. “I doubt she’s behind this.”

“In that case, it’s either a warlock from out of town or a sighted mundane,” Will concluded. “Either way, we need to stay alert, even during the day. Demons may be limited to attacking at night, but warlocks and mundanes certainly aren’t.”

“In that case, will you two be accompanying Ella and Levi to school?” the blonde asked, looking to the pair of Nephilim.

“We will,” Jem answered, earning a groan of annoyance from the Herondale. “Our mission is to protect and train potential Nephilim as well as protect the humans here from demons,” he continued, staring at Will pointedly. “Since there’s a magic-wielder here controlling demons, we’re obligated to stay until the danger is resolved. It would be irresponsible to leave the mundanes who live here to their fate, and we can’t abandon our charges either.”

His parabatai sighed. “It seems like we’re going to mundane school then,” he muttered, obviously not thrilled with the idea.

“It’s settled then,” Sister Julia declared with an air of finality. “I’ll contact a friend of mine to get your enrollment in order for the morning. Now, you ought to get some sleep; you’ve got your first day of school tomorrow. Will and Jem, you can spend the night here if you’ve nowhere else to stay. Levi and Ella usually do, so it’s not any trouble.”

“That’s kind of you to offer, Sister,” Jem said, giving her a small bow of thanks. “We’d be glad to accept.”

“Come along then! I can get you set up in one of the back rooms,” the mundane said, leading them to the rooms priests had once used to prepare for mass. Now, they seemed to be converted into bedrooms. “This one can be your room, though I’m afraid we only have the one remaining, so you’ll have to share. There’s only one bed for now, but I can see what I can do about tomorrow night,” she offered, smiling apologetically as she showed them a sparsely furnished bedroom.

The Nephilim exchanged a look, conversing silently for a few moments. “That’s no trouble at all,” Will assured her, smiling brightly. “We can share a bed; it’s actually preferred.”

The nun gave them a strange look but didn’t protest, bustling away for a few moments before returning with a couple of blankets, towels, and clothes. “How old are you two?” she asked, looking them up and down with a discerning eye as she handed Will the items.

“I think we’re eighteen, ma’am,” Jem said.

“You aren’t sure of your own age?” Levi cut in, incredulous.

“This isn’t our first life. We both lived long enough to die of old age the first time around, though we were separated by one hundred and forty years because of Jem’s health condition; his aging was slowed for quite a bit, but that’s a story for another day,” the Herondale explained, shrugging the concerns off with nonchalance. “I’ve been thinking about it since we arrived, and I’m almost certain we were both resurrected at eighteen, the same age we were the last time we were together as parabatai. Furthermore, it would seem we were both healed entirely by Ithuriel, which explains Jem’s good health.”

“Well, as long as I’m not leaving two minors in a room with one bed, that’s good enough for me,” Sister Julia chirped, earning chuckles from the group. “I’d give you two the talk, but I think you’re a bit too old for that.”

“By the Angel, I still remember the time I had to explain it to my children,” Will laughed. “James took it in stride, but Lucie was mortified.”

“When it came time for me to give the talk to Mina, Tessa regaled me with the story,” Jem added, smirking. “In hindsight, I think she tricked us both to avoid having to give any of our kids the talk,” he muttered. “That’s our clever Tessa.”

“Who’s Tessa?” Ella asked, looking between the pair in confusion.

“My wife,” both boys answered simultaneously, and the three mundanes gaped like fish.

“It’s a long tale, but all you need to know is that she’s a woman we both love, as deeply as we love one another,” Will elaborated, wrapping an arm around his parabatai. “Now, if you will excuse us, it’s been a long night, so we’ll be heading to bed. Good night.”

“Good night! Toiletries are in the bathroom at the end of the hall,” Sister Julia said, waving them off.

Jem allowed his companion to drag him to the bathroom, going through the motions of brushing his teeth on autopilot. The demon fight had taken more energy from him than he’d anticipated. Though it was true Ithuriel brought him back at peak health, nothing could replace practice, and it had been too long since he’d been an active Shadowhunter. Nevertheless, he was determined to readjust, for Will’s sake.

“Jem?” the younger boy interrupted his thoughts.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “I was thinking about tonight; I’ll need to readjust to being a Shadowhunter again.”

“I saw you fight that demon on the beach; trust me, you’re already brilliant,” Will assured him. “I couldn’t take my eyes off of you, in truth. I’d never seen you fight free of _yin fen_ , and it’s mesmerizing. You may not be as strong as other Shadowhunters, but you’re clever, agile too. Now, do you want to take a shower or head to sleep?”

“Shower.”

Will nodded, starting the water. For someone who’d been dead for decades, he was surprisingly well-versed in the intricacies of modern technology, a likely result of watching over Jem and Tessa for years. The former Silent Brother undressed quickly; he had never been shy with Will, and he wasn’t going to start now. Will did the same, looking the Carstairs up and down.

“You really should have cleaned off this ichor before,” he chastised. “Doesn’t it still sting?”

“Not particularly,” Jem admitted with a shrug. “I wiped most of it off earlier, and the burns it left are already healed.”

He let himself be pulled into the shower, sighing as warm water washed the day’s dirt, blood, and ichor from his skin. Will stepped behind him, rubbing away the dregs of blood from the kappa demon’s claws--the one that had taken him by surprise.

“This is my fault too, my Jem,” the Herondale whispered, tracing his fingers over Jem’s parabatai rune. “I wasn’t at your side to fight with you, and five demons is a large number to dispatch on your own.”

“Ella helped,” the Carstairs said, smiling. “She’ll make a fine Shadowhunter.”

Will pressed a kiss to the side of his neck, making Jem tilt his head back to rest on the blue-eyed boy’s shoulder. “I should hope you’re not replacing me,” he said, pulling back.

The former Silent Brother chuckled, “I had a feeling you would say that, but don’t worry. I wouldn’t dream of it.”

They finished their shower in peace, Jem in particular enjoying the comfortable silence. When they shut off the water, Will took the opportunity to pin the other boy gently against the tiled wall, kissing him slowly and taking the time to enjoy the sensation. Languidly, he pulled away at last, leaving Jem both breathless and invigorated.

He was exhausted, the minutes between their shower and finding himself lying in bed next to Will passing in a haze, but he was soon in his parabatai’s arms, their chests pressed together and Jem’s face buried in the other boy’s neck. The older Shadowhunter noticed he wasn’t wearing a shirt, and vaguely, he remembered the Herondale saying something about him not needing one and his other shirt being covered in ichor. Will wasn’t wearing a shirt either, he observed.

“Don’t think I haven’t seen through your ichor excuse,” he mumbled, drawing a musical laugh from the younger boy.

“I can put on a shirt if it bothers you,” Will offered, moving to remove himself from their bed. The Carstairs held onto him firmly.

“No, this is perfect,” he insisted, sighing contentedly when his parabatai settled back into bed. “Good night, my Will.”

“Good night,” the Herondale replied, pressing another kiss to his temple before they both drifted to sleep, safe in each others’ arms.


End file.
